The present invention concerns hitch assemblies for trailers and, more particularly, concerns a pivotal hitch assembly that allows the draw bar of a trailer to pivot or fold back on itself to shorten the overall length of the trailer when the trailer is not in use.
Many trailers, especially boat trailers, are long and have draw bars that extend far from the rear end of the trailer or the rear end of the boat carried by the trailer. This has the potential of making the storing of a boat and its trailer difficult and/or expensive when the storage is in a garage that is too short. To store a boat and its trailer in a short garage, the owner of the trailer might be forced to choose between expanding the size of the garage where the trailer is to be stored, or buying a smaller trailer. The size of the trailer is important, especially for boat trailers, where the length of the trailer determines the maximum length of the boat that can be safely towed on the trailer.
A solution to over length trailers is a pivotal draw bar. Prior art hitch assemblies having foldable draw bars are taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,398,742 (Sanders), U.S. Pat. No. 5,503,423 (Roberts et al.) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,890,617 (Rowland et al.).
The Sanders patent discloses a tongue or draw bar of a boat trailer is cut and then the ends are releasably hinged together by a pair of spaced apart, parallel hinge pins, either of which can be withdrawn to permit the forward end of the drawbar to be swung about the remaining pin, and rearwardly to an inactive position which effectively shortens the overall length of the draw bar so that the associated trailer can be readily stored in a conventional garage. The hinge mechanism comprises a pair of tubular members designed to be slid over the cut ends of the draw bar, and then to be bolted and/or welded to the associated draw bar section. Confronting ends of the hinge members have thereon two sets of cooperating hinge barrels, which releaseably support the two hinge pins about spaced apart, vertical axis adjacent opposite sides, respectively of the draw bar.
The Roberts et al. patent discloses a tubular hitch sandwiched between top and bottom plates. Holes through the hitch and plates are aligned with one another and the tubular casing is inserted through the holes. Thereafter, the ends of the tubular casings are swedged or expanded by pressing bullet shaped pins into opposite ends of the casing. The swedging effect securely fastens the components. Finally, pins are inserted through the casings to mount the swing away hitch on the trailer.
The Rowland et al. patent discloses a tongue of a trailer sandwiched between two plates with holes that align with tubular sleeves welded on opposite sides at the end of a hitch cover to convert it to a swing away hitch. Pins are inserted to mount the swing away hitch onto the swing away hitch assembly. In a towing position, both pins stay in their sleeves. In a stow-away position, one pin is removed and the swing away hitch swivels via the remaining pin away to the side of the trailer.
A problem with the prior art foldable trailer draw bar structures is the cost of manufacturing a structurally reliable and strong connector between the foldable parts. The prior art systems include multiple parts that must be aligned, bolted, and/or welded together. Therefore, there exists a need for a strong and easily operated foldable trailer hitch assembly that can be inexpensively manufactured and assembled.
Briefly described, the present invention includes a pivotal or foldable hitch assembly for trailers. One embodiment of the invention includes a U-shaped housing with the opposed sidewalls with each sidewall including a connector tube. The pair of connector tubes are laterally displaced from each other and their longitudinal axes are upright and oriented parallel to each other. The connector tubes are integrally formed with the housing by bending stubs of the sidewalls into the shapes of tubes. The housing is formed from a blank, which is single piece of a material that is bent along fold lines to produce the pair of opposed sidewalls, the upper wall and the connector tubes.
Other systems, methods, features, and advantages of the present invention will be or become apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following drawings and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features, and advantages be included within this description, be within the scope of the present invention, and be protected by the accompanying claims.